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Welcomed
Regiment historian Graham Lawson and supervisor for the National
Probation Service Phil Kirk at the new 508th memorial in Wollaton
Park
Co-organiser Graham Lawson, of Wollaton, said: "Phi! Kirk, of Notts
Probation Service, found remnants of bricks from Old Market Square at
Wollaton Park.
"We've got stones from the battlefields of Normandy and have been helped by
Wollaton Park and the university’s archaeology team.
We want to raise £1500 for a bronze plaque." |
Fitting
reminder of a brief but unique period in our city's history |
AROUND 2,000 American troops of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
arrived early in 1944.
Young, fresh, newly trained recruits shipped over from the USA, most of them
had never been in action before, most had never traveled beyond their own
borders.
They arrived in Nottingham on March 10 and, according to a 508 history by
paratrooper Hank LeFebvre, Don Jakeway said it best: “You can imagine our
joy when we first set foot in this wonderful city, after spending a couple
of months in that barren, cheerless area of North Ireland.
"We busted our butts during the daylight hours getting the camp ready, but
once the sun set, we hustled those same butts into town.
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Smiles: GIs in Wollaton Park
A tent city sprang up on the grounds of Wollaton Hall and,
when they were not training for D-Day, they became a familiar sight in pubs
and dance halls around the city.
Many romantic liaisons were formed with local girls, some
would last a lifetime.
But for many others, destiny had chosen a different path.
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On June 6, 1944, from a height of just 400 feet, the men of
the 508th jumped into a sky full of tracer bullets above the Normandy
countryside.
When they were finally pulled out of the front line on July 15, of the 2,056
men who had jumped on D-Day, just 918 returned to Wollaton Park, the rest
killed, missing or captured.
In the 66 years since then, the people of Nottingham have never forgotten
the Yanks ... and the old soldiers have never forgotten Nottingham.
The memorial, which will be officially unveiled by Elmer Melchi on March 14,
IS a fitting reminder of a brief but unique period in our city's history. |
